Moroccan Snickers Bar Tour

#MoroccanSnickersBarTour

Here i am visiting Morocco for the third time as its an area with a rich but complex mixture of history
 It was formed by many diverse cultures and dynasties from the ancient Berber kingdoms to all the European powers that have left their influences in the area

 

Acculturate Your Surroundings
To understand any country you visit, you need to first embrace the people with their
culture plus all the chaos that the area brings, as that is part of you growing

 Mark Twain
 His quote; Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry
and narrow-mindedness

Bazaar
Off to the souk (market) with the understanding that you need to be prepared to negotiate for items
 like bags, spices, leather goods and pottery

KeyTip;
 What i have learned from many visits is to reduce the asking
price by 70%

Travel Advisor
So again i have been to this area of Western Africa multiple times, so the front desk at my hotel mentioned that they had some guests from North America and was wondering if i would mind meeting with them in the lobby (later on) to discuss what to expect

Snickers Bars
At our get together i agreed to join them as they were heading to the souk, so i mentioned that i always bring some confectionery bars in my backpack for that, just in case moment
 They kind of looked at me with a puzzled look so

Avoid List 
I explained that our systems will need time to adapt to the local foods and liquids
plus not to buy any fruit/salads or anything not packaged as it could of been washed in water, no drinks with ice cubes and so on

Sales Pitch
Well we get to the market and the guide eventually takes us inside one of the vendors buildings
that was selling rugs, brass vases and clothing
Then the host brings out a bowl of soup for everyone that was basically black water (i am thinking of the Indiana Jones Movie at this point 😅) so then grabbed my Snickers Bar and offered by extras
to my new friends

Stomach Issues
Not sure if they were not paying attention to my lecture earlier but they all declined
We finished up and headed back to the resort, i find out later (as i waited at the restaurant for them) 
 none were coming as they all had diarrhea

My Artificial Holiday
After eating i went outside and pulled out a roadside shrub, then took the six pack plastic rings plus some cloth to decorate into a believable Christmas Tree ( it was December 24th)
Finally for gifts; i added some alcohol plus of course a Snickers Bar for all my North American friends who did not listen 

 Merry Christmas

Be Cautious
Being a photographer i know there will be some great color shots for my camera, but i just bring the basic gear as petty theft is common here especially in the crowded areas

KeyTip; 
 The so called Faux Guides may approach you offering a tour but generally they are trying to lead you to places not so nice or pressure you into buying things, so kindly say no thank you

Old City
On my way to the Medina in Fez, which is the largest living medieval city in the world and because
of such is an UNESCO World Heritage Site 

It also has the oldest University in the world Al-Qarawiyyin (859 AD)
 Then look for Dar al-Magana (which is a house built in the 14th century) that has a water clock which is one of the most ancient forms of timekeeping

Planned Grid
As i learned the souks are not random collections of stalls but are carefully organized by
 the type of goods sold
So its up to you to decide what you are looking for, then head to that area

Absorb The Culture
 When walking in that direction, take in the aromatic spices, vibrant colors (like above)
 and all the sounds of craftmanship

Structured Disorder
You will need your sense of adventure to walk into this controlled chaos, but its like a journey through a living piece of history
Much like a labyrinthine into the traditional way of life that has persisted through centuries

Past History
Morocco has been ruled by many dynasties including the Idrisid, Almoravid, Saadi, Almohad and Alawi which still resigns today (from the 17th century)
This makes it the second oldest ruling house in the world 

Independence
It finally got free from France and Spain in 1956

Showbiz 
Being a part-time actor i am always on the lookout for some of the largest film sets outside
 of Hollywood that are located here

The industry utilizes the diverse landscapes and historical architecture found here
1) Gladiator
2) Lawrence of Arabia
3) Mission Impossible
4) Game of Thrones
5) Rogue Nation
6) American Sniper
7) Prison Break

 Marrakech
 Also known as Red City because of the color of most of the building which
 are made of that hue of clay

Some Interesting Facts
1) Yves Saint Laurent played a role in restoring the Majorelle
Gardens located here
2) Its the home for traditional  Moroccan crafts of textiles, pottery
 and leather goods
3) The main square of Jemaa el-Fnaa is famous for its musicians, storytellers
and food vendors
4) Founded in 1062 it is one of the four Imperial Cities of the country and one of
its historic capitals

Precious Resource
Morocco is experiencing a decline in rainfall and has rising temperatures leading to increasing water stress, hence when i took these pictures it sums it up well
Aqua is more important than gold

 National Water Management Plan 
The country is actively working to improve the situation through investments in dams,
desalination and wastewater reuse

Official Language
While its Arabic, many Moroccans speak Darija (a dialect influenced by Berber and Arabic)
 plus French is also widely spoken

My Canadian French
It is very different but was able to communicate somewhat, especially when haggling over prices
 (which the locals are offended if you do not engage)

The Adhan
From the mosques the call for prayer is five times per day
It is a significant part of the daily rhythm with a rich Islamic history

Plan Accordingly
Depending on the time of year, Morocco does not get as much sunlight as you would think
In December only around five hours up to eleven in July

Many Directions
Just keep traveling to experience the world, as indeed its great